The African Union’s Peace and Security Council decided this Thursday evening, August 31, 2023, to suspend Gabon's participation in all activities and institutions of the Union, a day after the coup.

This measure was expected from the African Union, which stipulates in Article 30 of its founding document the suspension of member states whose governments come to power through unconstitutional means.

The action came after a meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council in Addis Ababa, which has powers similar to those of the United Nations Security Council.

African leaders are considering ways to respond to the coup in Gabon, especially after the military appointed a new president for the country.

The coup in Gabon is the latest episode in a series of coups in West and Central Africa.

In the same context, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) condemned the coup.

It also stated that it intends to hold a “quick” meeting of the regional leaders to determine how to respond. No date for this meeting was mentioned.

The army in Gabon had overthrown President Ali Bongo’s rule on Wednesday, shortly after the announcement of the presidential election results that granted him a third term, but the opposition and the army questioned the results.